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Amelia’s Magazine | SIBLING: London Collections: Men S/S 2014 Catwalk Review

SIBLING S/S 2014 by Gareth A Hopkins

Oh GOD I love SIBLING. Every season they manage to come up with an amazing theme that makes you wonder how they do it, time and time again. There was an East End boozers pub crawl, fairgrounds, even wayward jailbirds and their mothers. This fifth birthday season was no exception.

All photography by Matt Bramford

West Side Story became ‘East Side Story‘ in this glorious romp through American youth culture with a British twist, taking inspiration from the 1961 film and Saul Bass‘s iconic graphics. Any collection inspired by Saul Bass’s iconic graphics gets my vote.

SIBLING S/S 2014 by Gareth A Hopkins

I settled into my perfect standing spot, sandwiched between a guy wielding an iPad (give over) as if it were a shield and a speaker belting out Gee, Officer Krupkee. The entrance to the catwalk had been daubed in Richard Woods‘s signature woodprint, and just inside I noticed a huge sign saying ‘SMILES PLEASE’ with a cheeky felt-tip drawing of a grin. Well, it would have been rude not to, and so I grinned as wide as I could as the first model appeared.

The masculinity of the Jets and gang dress codes were first explored – cropped denim jackets and oversized bomber jackets featured enlarged JET BOY motifs on the reverse. Models were styled with slick quiffs and huge smiles – oh, hang on, the sign was for them! What a brilliant idea. It took all my strength not to start weeping as each handsome devil appeared, grinning and genuinely enjoying themselves.

From the streets to the gym; up next came polos, cardigans and shorts in Richard Woods‘ aforementioned print. Dreamy colours – mint green, lilac and Shark blue were indebted on the press release to the Ndebele tribe and West Side Story cinematographer Daniel L Fapp.

No SIBLING collection would be complete without chunky knits and a hint of leopard print, and die hard fans weren’t disappointed on either count. Cardigans and cropped jackets in blue peppered the sportswear, as did a thick, black mesh knit at the beginning of the show.

The most dramatic pieces combined scoobie strings (yes, like the bracelets) with American track and field sportswear shapes to create show-stopping tops and shorts in white, neon greens and acid pink.

A knit emblazoned with a ’5′ emblem in stars closed this fifth anniversary show, SIBLING‘s best yet IMHO.

Written by Matt Bramford on Wednesday June 26th, 2013 9:37 am

Categories ,catwalk, ,Daniel L Fapp, ,East Side Story, ,fashion, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Jets, ,knitwear, ,LCM, ,LCMSS14, ,Leopard Print, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Ndebele, ,Officer Krupkee, ,review, ,Richard Woods, ,Saul Bass, ,scoobie bracelets, ,Sharks, ,Sibling, ,smiles, ,SS14, ,West Side Story

Amelia’s Magazine | Sorapol ‘Euphoria’ S/S 2013 Catwalk Review

amelias magazine - jenny robins - sorapol ss13 - illustration 1
Illustrations, sketches and first photograph by Jenny Robins, all other photos courtesy of Pop PR

Sorapol’s S/S 2013 show ‘Euphoria’ was an ecstatic exhibition of excess. Anything less would surely have disappointed the audience, which included a large number of guests in utterly ridiculous outfits: even my view of the shoes from my seat on the floor in front of the photographers (better for sketching) was extreme.

amelias magazine - jenny robins - sorapol ss13 - front row shoes
I’m sure there were plenty of celebrities from the fashion world present but I am unfortunately rubbish at knowing who they are. Having said that I was pretty excited to spot Ruth Brown of The Voice fame on the front row: much more my kind of celebrity. She was wearing Sorapol’s many tailed creation from his A/W 2012 collection as well, so presumably a fan.

Likewise I couldn’t possibly comment on whether any of the creepy masked caricatures portrayed by the catwalk models were based on specific celebrities. The off-her-face-and-sweary model, the twirl-and-flash-your-bum model, the air-kissers and over-the-top posers, the pair of giggling twins who staggered down the runway bouncing off of each other, till faced with the photographers at the end they became suddenly media savvy and struck the right poses. One character beckoned a black t-shirted lackey out of the crowd and into the spotlight, to cojole and then slap.

amelias magazine - Sorapol ss13 - Look 1
Each look seemed to have a corresponding act, seemingly sending up and/or celebrating the behaviour of privileged London party people. The story in the press release reinforced this, telling us about Catherine, who ‘Sparing no expense in her efforts to quench her thirst for more, tried everything.‘

amelias magazine - jenny robins - sorapol ss13 - look 12
amelias magazine - Sorapol ss13 - Look 5
Luke Worrall walked down the runway wearing (as well as shiny leather hot pants) a hat with his name on and many arrows pointing to it. The majority of the models wore grotesque masks with melting mottled surfaces and painted on eyelashes and lipstick. These were by Achraf Amiri, an illustrator known for his distorted disturbing fashion figures.

amelias magazine - Sorapol ss13 - Look 11

Exhibitionism, excess, celebrity, waste, disgrace, decadence, ideas that were also riffed on in the musical choices (‘we’re all stars now in the dope show’) and the giant sparkly line of cocaine (presumably sand – no-one’s that excessive) down the centre of the catwalk. Presumably the irony was not entirely lost. A grumpy commenter on my first ever fashion write up once told me ‘High fashion and Couture is about Fantasy and creating an artistic vision‘, and Sorapol Chawaphatnakul and Daniel Lismore have certainly achieved that. But what about the clothes? Isn’t that what fashion is supposed to actually be about? Here are my catwalk sketches…

amelias magazine - jenny robins - sorapol ss13 - catwalk sketches 1

A great variety of shapes and colours, a peplum here, a ra-ra there, an orgy of sparkle, brocade, billowing trains and structured corsets, tassels, hotpants, fluorescent platform brogues with giant pompoms on, and big purple hair. All very feminine in a certain way. The sex, drugs and rock and roll mantra was referenced very literally with prints and accessories featuring hundreds of little bicoloured pills, and the final piece, which was a Marylyn Manson-esque gothic dress featuring a double necked electric guitar attached to the front.

amelias magazine - Sorapol ss13 - Look 18

amelias magazine - jenny robins - sorapol ss13 - puma bike
The clothes were actually great – ridiculous and sublime like the whole event, and not pretending to be anything else. The show started with a jaguar shaped motorbike, and ended with an amazing performance by Vince Kidd (also of The Voice), cigarette in hand, singing The Rolling Stones and swaggering all over the place (this is probably why Ruth was there too I guess). A very excellent excessive sleazy glamorous night out.

Written by Jenny Robins on Friday November 2nd, 2012 11:24 am

Categories ,Achraf Amiri, ,Celebrity, ,Daniel Lismore, ,Euphoria, ,fashion, ,illustration, ,london, ,Luke Worrall, ,Marylyn Manson, ,menswear, ,Pop PR, ,review, ,Ruth Brown, ,S/S 2013, ,Soho, ,Sorapol, ,Sorapol Chawaphatnakul, ,The Voice, ,Vince Kidd, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | S/S 2011 Press Days – An illustrated round-up

Ada Zanditon, website like this illustrated by Sara Chew

Wahoooo! Summer is finally here. No really, dosage it is. Seriously I don’t care how damp and dreary it is outside that office window, summer is most definitely here. I’m toasty warm and looking at shorts, t-shirts and dresses ranging from ethereal to barely there. Skipping round London in the increasingly cold weather this can be hard to believe, but that’s how it goes. Here’s a little look at some of the summer outfits I’ve been looking at…

Ada Zanditon
Held eight stories up in Holborn with a stunning view out over the Thames to the Oxo Tower, Ada showed her latest collection. A quick chat with the designer revealed a charming, intelligent woman and in her own words ‘geeky’. Who else would be so inspired by maths and formulas that they borrow text books from libraries? Well if that’s where inspiration comes from, long may it last. Ada is not just a lovely person but also incredibly talented. Three dimensional sculptural pyramids burst forth from the intelligently structured garments.

Even the prints were inspired by fractal geometry and swept across many garments from a particularly stunning floor length bias cut 1930s dress with backless detail to a leather minidress complete with a chiffon front panel. Hard seaming was juxtaposed with soft fabrics and details. The jewellery carried the same prints as the dress and were another hard counterpoint to some of the softness. Look out for more on Ada’s ethical collection in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Giorgio Armani

Armani called and off to Bond Street I went. Giorgio showed some great pieces with open weave jackets and low-breaking double-breasted jackets for the men, soft and light in beige, grey and smoke. T-shirts emphasised the lightness with sheer elements. Maybe this is a way to get the ‘heavage’ out without looking like a modern day medallion man. The shoes and accessories were simple and classic, from a soft leather briefcase to a brown woven leather shoe catching my eye in particular. Suede and salmon skin belts helped to further soften the tone. All very simple and invoking a cool Italian summers evening.

On the far side of the partition was the womenswear. Strong tailoring was paired with sheer blouses in varying shades of blue and deep purple. Skirts were long and flared slightly to the hem, though I will admit it was the shoes and accessories that stood out. High perspex wedges with wooden platforms excuded both freshness and class. Chunky cuffs, twisted silver necklaces and amulets of large dark blue/black stones hung on leather and fabric. Powerful, yet clean and sophisticated.

Emporio Armani

Illustration by Stéphanie Thieullent
Emporio, the delinquent nephew of Giorgio, was my next visit. There may have been a similar colour palette across the brands, but that’s pretty much where the similarities ended. No Giorgio man is ever going to be seen in a chainlink bondage harness. The use of sheer panels as highlights was also shared, this time showing off what one imagines will be gym-honed biceps. The highlight for me was a double-fronted crock effect suit. Hiding underneath the croc, a layer of leather gave the hint of something more to come.

Draping and ruffles were mixed with simple clean lines in womenswear. A grey and purple halterneck knee length dress particularly appealed, not to mention vertiginous heels. A dainty black chiffon bow, gave the vampiest pieces a demure side. Combining both the soft and the sharp, a draped jersey dress was teamed with a pale grey cap sleeve tailored jacket. It’s youthful and energetic but with a business edge.

Paul Costelloe

Illustration by Karolina Burdon

Showing menswear for the third season Paul opened London Fashion Week with a strong summer collection including short suits, lightweight long coats, and intricate print details. The menswear of this brand is growing on a season by season basis and whilst the formalwear is available in stockists such as John Lewis and Austin Reed, it’s hoped the casualwear and the odd catwalk piece should start hitting the shops soon.

Illustration by Natsuki Otani

You can see reviews of Paul’s collections by Matt and Amelia here and here.

Snake & Dagger

This London based denim company are growing stronger and stronger. Having trained in Japan, they hope to bring a more traditional feel to the denim market. The quality of the denim and the range of finishes are exquisite and the designers behind the brand bring together the best of their training and the city of London to create a unique look.

Aqua

Illustration by Joana Faria

Wherever you thought you were going to buy your Christmas party dress, forget it. Scrub that idea now. Go straight to Aqua and get yourself sorted. This Christmas’ collection ‘Out to Sleigh’ is affordable glamour at its best.

The pieces are daringly cut but clever and in no way trashy. More importantly, whilst you’ve been eyeing up that dress on the high street for the last three weeks so has every other girl in your office, but it’s unlikely you’ll be in the same number if you visit Aqua.

Morphe

Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Having previously shown in India, Morphe is thankfully launching in the UK. Playing with shape and form, the pieces are both dramatic and cutting edge. Born from countless hours of work, the statement pieces are surprisingly easy to wear, if somewhat out there.

However, the true gems in the collection include a one shoulder dress with silver trim along the neckline. Creating more than a simple point of interest this is a brand to watch as they develop their continued success in India.

Asher Levine

This was a fantastic collection from a burgeoning menswear designer. In particular, the asymmetric leather biker jackets were right on trend. Using differing leathers as well as digital printing, Asher showed a dynamic and contemporary collection.

Eleanor Amoroso

Most certainly one to watch. Eleanor graduated this summer from the University of Westminster. Her work with fringing has to be seen to be believed. Genuinely unique and fresh, I can only hope the future holds big things for Amoroso. This is one young designer who definitely needs to be nourished.

There were more…far more people that I saw during the press days. From the sublime to the ridiculous and everything inbetween. Trying to contain yourself when browsing all these wonders is a challenge, as is trying to get enough photos and remember everything. But I can safely say S/S 2011 is going to be a very, very good season.

All photography by Nick Bain

Written by Nick Bain on Monday November 29th, 2010 5:00 pm

Categories ,Ada Zanditon, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustratio, ,Aqua by Aqua, ,Asher Levine, ,Blow PR, ,Bond Street, ,Eleanor Amoroso, ,Emporio Armani, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Giorgio Armani, ,Joana Faria, ,Karolina Burdon, ,london, ,menswear, ,Morphe, ,Natsuki Otani, ,Paul Costelloe, ,Press days, ,S/S 2011, ,Sara Chew, ,Snake & Dagger, ,Spring Summer, ,Stéphanie Thieullent, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | Swedish School of Textiles: London Fashion Week S/S 2014 Catwalk Review part one

Swedish school of textiles by-Antonia-Parker
Jesper Danielsson by Antonia Parker.

As in previous years, the Swedish School of Textiles at Boras took to the catwalk at Fashion Scout to showcase the best of their graduates. As the press release stated, this was not about commerciality but about promoting the myriad creative ways in which their students approach the use of textiles in fashion. At 35 minutes long this trip was not for the faint hearted and I felt sorry for the later designers, who lost audience members to the Holly Fulton show. Luckily me and my bike are fairly swift so I saw the show out, and was very glad I did since the closing collection was one of my favourites. I’ve split my coverage into two posts, but I’ll keep my commentary short.

Swedish School Of Textiles SS14 by Gareth A Hopkins
Jesper Danielsson by Gareth A Hopkins.

Swedish School of Textiles SS 2014-photography by Amelia Gregory

Jesper Danielsson opened the show with a series of Functional Cuts for men: my favourites being the orange ombre jumpsuit, a playful splatter print coat and a huge hooded gold puffa.

Swedish School of Textiles SS 2014-photography by Amelia Gregory

Emelie Ahlner presented a clever collection titled Kurbitch! that featured curly laser cut panelling on multiple forms of fabric: neon perspex, plastic, denim, glitter and pearlescent fabrics were all used with wild abandon.

Swedish School of Textiles SS 2014-photography by Amelia Gregory

Units from Anna Margareta Svensson was a far more minimalist affair, presenting boxy shapes in an intriguing juxtaposition of textures and an on trend colour palette of muted colours mixed with a pop of tangerine. One outfit was accompanied with a fab clutch bag and I liked the flip flops that were styled with panels of latex, which gave a subtle Japanese feel to the collection.

Swedish School of Textiles for LFW - Becca Corney
Elias Hogberg by Becca Corney.

Swedish School of Textiles SS 2014-photography by Amelia Gregory

Elias Hogberg merged utilitarian winter fashions with peasant styling in the form of furry hoods, warm shearling coats and elaborate floral prints on apron-like panels.

Swedish School Of Textiles SS14 by Gareth A Hopkins
Emelie Johansson by Gareth A Hopkins.

Swedish School of Textiles SS 2014-photography by Amelia Gregory

Menswear from Emelie Johansson successfully combined the sheerest of fabrics with both tailoring and sporty details. And the large round sunglasses were a real winner.

Stay tuned for the second part of my review, which includes a video of the show.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Saturday September 21st, 2013 8:02 pm

Categories ,Anna Margareta Svensson, ,Antonia Parker, ,Becca Corney, ,Boras, ,catwalk, ,Elias Hogberg, ,Emelie Ahlner, ,Emelie Johansson, ,Fashion Scout, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Functional Cuts, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,graduate, ,Holly Fulton, ,Jesper Danielsson, ,Kurbitch!, ,london, ,menswear, ,review, ,Swedish, ,Swedish School of Textiles, ,textiles, ,Units, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | The 2013 FAD Awards: London Fashion Week Catwalk Review

Stephanie Kitchen by Warren Clarke

The Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) Awards are always an end-of-fashion-week treat. After five days of the freshest fashion talent dominating the catwalks at the Fashion Scout venue, FAD looks even further into the future at the best of the country’s undergraduate talent, based each season around a different theme.

Louis Anderson-Bythell – all photography by Matt Bramford

There could be no better a theme in this age of global change and austerity than ‘Future Optimism‘, which was the brief for this year’s students. Over 100 undergraduates submitted work for the competition, with fifteen entries showcased at this climatic event.

Anna Kim by Gabriel Ayala

Here’s a quick photographic rundown of the fifteen entries:

MATTHEW O’BRIEN

LUCINDA ROBERTS

STEPHANOS KONSTANTIOU

Stephanos Konstantiou by Laura Hickman

ROBERT MILLS

STEPHANIE KITCHEN

JOSEPH HORTON

CHELSEY CROSSLAND

LOUIS ANDERSON-BYTHELL

AYSHA SIMPSON

NNEKA OKORIE

KIMBERLEY PHILLIPS

LAURA CHITTENDEN

ANNA KIM

ESTELA NEVINSKAITE

MORWENNA DARWELL

And so on to the winners. It must have been a tough job for Hilary Alexander, Fashion Scout’s Martyn Roberts, Topshops’ Geraldine O’Brien, FAD’s Claire Muldoon and our pal Milly Jackson (who won the 2011 Award) to choose a winner.

Sitting at the end of the catwalk is fantastic for shots of models but not so fantastic if the awards action takes place at the opposite end.

One of my personal favourites, Nneka Okorie‘s glorious menswear, took one of the runner up prizes. Her slick trench-coats with digital printing techniques brought both expert tailoring and vivid colours to the catwalk and I loved the discrete details of city skylights on a backpack and trouser hems.

Stephanos Konstantiou took the other runner up prize with his futuristic neoprene collection with rigid cutaway details. His laser-cut houndstooth pattern was completely original, and I enjoyed the sharp silhouettes that his collection projected. Nneka and Stephanos both take home five hundred quid and an industry placement. Well done, pals!

The winner, described by Hilary Alexander as ‘unanimous’ and ‘one to watch’ for the coming seasons, was, deservedly, Stephanie Kitchen. A final year student at Bath Spa University (always a good show at Graduate Fashion Week), Stephanie’s innovative cycle wear earned cheers when it first appeared at the beginning of the show and rapturous applause when it was announced Stephanie had won. This collection brought together wearability, sustainability, style and functionality all in one. The cycle sunglasses were a hit, too.

Stephanie wins £1000 and an industry placement and her designs were also shown at London Fashion Weekend. I don’t think this will be the last time we see Stephanie on the London fashion catwalks.

Winner Stephanie Kitchen by Milly Jackson for FAD

Written by Matt Bramford on Monday February 25th, 2013 11:50 am

Categories ,2013, ,Anna Kim, ,Awards, ,Aysha Simpson, ,BA, ,catwalk, ,Chelsey Crossland, ,Estela Nevinskaite, ,FAD, ,Fashion Scout, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Gabriel Ayala, ,Hilary Alexander, ,Joseph Horton, ,Kimberley Phillips, ,Laura Chittenden, ,Laura Hickman, ,London Fashion Week, ,Louis Anderson-Bythell, ,Lucinda Roberts, ,Matt Bramford, ,Matthew O’Brien, ,menswear, ,Milly Jackson, ,Morwenna Darwell, ,Nneka Okorie, ,review, ,Robert Mills, ,Stephanie Kitchen, ,Stephanos Konstantinou, ,students, ,sustainability, ,undergraduate, ,Warren Clarke, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | UCA Rochester: Graduate Fashion Week Catwalk Review

Graduate collection by Elisabeth Boström

UCA Rochester is always a hot ticket at Graduate Fashion Week. It usually takes a late evening slot, so there’s always a more ritzy atmosphere. This year was no different.

Graduate collection by Emily Houghton

When I joined the queue I was pleased to note that I was maybe 10 or 15 attendees from the front. ‘Marvellous’, I thought to myself as I politely waited. As the door-opening grew closer, one by one various other press, sponsors and ‘VIPs’ did that hilarious thing that only fashion people know how to do. I marvel every time it happens. It’s the Magical Fashion Queue Jumper. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:

1. Look for somebody you’ve vaguely met once, follow on Twitter, are connected with on LinkedIn, or somebody who looks like somebody you know;
2. Scream ‘HAI darling!‘ at them and swing from their neck with glee;
3. Go a bit red, hoping nobody has noticed you’ve been incredibly rude and pushed in;
Voila – you’ve jumped the queue.

Sigh. Somehow I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it. It’s just so impolite. I’d tell you how I then got kicked off the front row but managed to get back onto it with half a dozen seats going begging, but then I’d just be a big moaner.

All photography by Matt Bramford

Anyway, yes, back to the show. An usual start unfolded – I’d already noticed that there were a sole pair of shoes and a selection of menswear on hangers to the right of the stage. The lights dimmed and a model appeared wearing white underclothes. Two men wearing white lab coats, I presume students, dressed the man in silence. As soon as he was dressed and styled, the lights shone brightly, the music pounded, and the tattoo-clad model stormed the catwalk.

Here’s a round-up of my favourites from UCA Rochester:

Daniel Holliday

It was Daniel’s model who was dressed live on stage and opened the show. It was a strong menswear opener, with digital print shirts, tweed blazers with contrasting sleeves and flashes of neon green juxtaposed with a dark colour palette.

Lucy Mellor

Graduate collection by Lucy Mellor

Lucy’s collection was our first taste of Rochester womenswear. Fitted knee-length dresses were sculptured at the shoulders and hips, creating futuristic silhouettes, embellished with organic felt shapes.

Richard Sun

Graduate collection by Richard Sun

The future according to Richard Sun sees women wearing utilitarian geometric dresses accessorised with wire cages. Inspired by Hong Kong architecture, this was an innovative fashion vision.

Olivia Salmon

Graduate collection by Olivia Salmon

Juxtaposed to Richard’s fashion future came Olivia Salmon‘s playful collection of cute floral dresses. Silhouettes were soft and prints were hand-drawn – a welcome break from digital. Models were styled with clusters of flowers in this uplifting collection.

Olivia Salmon graduate collection by Sandra Contreras

Emily Houghton

Graduate collection by Emily Houghton

Emily also took her inspiration from architecture – notably Richard Rogers‘ ‘inside-out’ Lloyds building. Visible seams and outer pocket bags explore this concept – a dark colour palette with some flashes of neon and some elements of sportswear made this a really polished collection.

Annie Mae Harris

Blink and you might miss Annie Mae’s attention to detail in this fusion of print and materials. Soft silks and organzas were treated with hypnotic, organic swirls that elegantly floated by. Leather accessories, including a headpiece embellished with gold teeth, added an extra dimension.

Jenny Prismall

Graduate collection by Jenny Prismall

War Horse was the inspiration for Jenny’s womenswear and was one of my favourite collections of the week. Military cuts were given a chicer treatment. Leather straps like horses reins were carefully added to garments creating a luxurious look with a hint of kink, whilst also sculpting silhouettes. Oh, and the digital-print sunset – just wonderful.

Marianne Sørensen

Graduate collection by Marianne Sørensen

Marianne presented a beautiful all-black collection teaming luxury materials with dynamic cuts: one of the most polished presentations of the week.

Callum Burman
Callum’s modern Miami Vice male had me squealing. Influence had come from the TV show and the Art Deco buildings of Miami (love). Cropped-sleeve shirts, short shorts, oversized sweater and skinny trousers all in a range of cool pastel colours. It was fun, relaxed and infinitely wearable.

Sharon Osborne
Sharon presented a beautiful collection of flattering, body-hugging dresses of varying glamorous lengths. Ruching around the necks and into seams was used to dazzling effect, with cloud-like forms printed onto the garments. But it was Sharon’s transparent perspex accessories that really caught my eye; beautiful, organic shapes creeping up models’ arms.

Elisabeth Boström

Graduate collection by Elisabeth Boström

Elisabeth’s offering was another contender for my favourite collection of this year’s graduates. Sweeping frocks in gorgeous silks featured digital streaks of varying bright colours fused with natural browns. Elisabeth was inspired by natural vs. unnatural, effortlessly blending the two together. Some dresses were embellished with hair for a fashion-forward look with maximum appeal.

Emma Beaumont

Graduate collection by Emma Beaumont

I wasn’t at all surprised to see Emma’s collection nominated for the Gold Award at the Gala ceremony the following evening. Inspired by harvest, Emma’s feminine cuts and adept use of the most visually stimulating materials provided a real treat. I loved the aesthetic appeal of the opening woven coat and a gold woven dress.

Until next year, UCA Rochester!

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday June 19th, 2012 9:24 am

Categories ,2012, ,Annie Mae Harris, ,Callum Burman, ,catwalk, ,Daniel Holliday, ,Elisabeth Bostrom, ,Emily Houghton, ,Emma Beaumont, ,fashion, ,GFW, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Jenny Prismall, ,knitwear, ,Lucy Mellor, ,Marianne Sorensen, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Olivia Salmon, ,review, ,Richard Sun, ,Sandra Contreras, ,Sharon Osbourne, ,UCA Rochester, ,University, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | Xander Zhou: London Collections: Men S/S 2014 Catwalk Review

Xander Zhou S/S 2014 by Isher Dhiman

Sometimes I look at fashion week press releases with the same disdain that I do art gallery captions. I have absolutely no idea where some of the designers (or press personnel) get their ideas from. I often stifle giggles as I read them, waiting for somebody to pop out and say ‘we had you there, didn’t we!’ And so it was highly refreshing when I arrived at Xander Zhou, my final show of this London Collections: Men season, to find not a rigid press release but a selection of thought-provoking words. Words like ‘personal’ ‘cosmetic’ ‘online’ ‘variety’ and, erm, ‘Thai boxing’ flooded a sheet of purple card.

All photography by Matt Bramford

I have to hold my hands up and say that I didn’t know much about Xander Zhou before this show. It turns out he studied industrial design in China and fashion design in the Netherlands, both of which have clearly had a resounding effect on his collections.

I was back inside the Old Sorting Office for the last time and by this point I’d worked out where the best spot was. An obscure, celestial soundtrack and a model clad in a beige latex blazer and shorts launched this S/S 2014 collection, which was to explore the internet and cyberspace through a range of futuristic garments. A selection of latex aprons followed, in muted colours, worn over crisp white shirts. Thin white garters worn on thighs and detachable collars completed these looks.

The collection then took a curveball direction into smart, dark tailoring with futuristic elements: double-breasted overcoats toyed with proportions and featured elongated sleeves; discrete checks, almost invisible to the naked eye, were constructed into sleeveless jackets and loose-fitting trousers.

More surrealist tailoring followed, including waistcoats with differing lengths and blocks of complimentary colours. Jackets nipped in at the waist to give a slightly feminine silhouette, styled with basic leather slip-ons.

Then came the most dramatic pieces. Show-stopping knee-length coats hammered home Xander Zhou’s internet-based inspiration, featuring images such as Google search pages, Facebook symbols, internet memes and dramatic photography – a masterclass in print.

More tailoring closed the show; pastel-coloured playsuits featured black highlights, but it will be the printed coats that I remember this show for.

Written by Matt Bramford on Wednesday July 3rd, 2013 6:01 pm

Categories ,China, ,cyberspace, ,internet, ,Isher Dhiman, ,LCM, ,LCMSS14, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Old Sorting Office, ,tailoring, ,Xander Zhou

Amelia’s Magazine | YMC: London Collections: Men S/S 2014 Catwalk Review

YMC S/S 2014 by Natasha Likes Tea

Fraser Moss and Jimmy Collins borrowed legendary designer Raymond Loewy‘s slogan ‘you must create‘ to launch their label back in 1995. The brand constantly evolves, better known by the acronym YMC, but the ethos behind Loewy’s words resonate through the heart of the clothing label even today.

All photography by Matt Bramford

A YMC show feels a bit like respite on the London Collections: Men line-up. The Corbusian mantra ‘form follows function’ runs through the core, and to judge them against Craig Green or Astrid Andersen would be totally missing the point. Relaxed tailoring with a modern edge, minimal silhouettes and unassuming, stylish, wearable separates have become the brand’s signatures.

This season the YMC boys took over the Old Sorting Office where I’d previously seen Topman Design. I derived pretty quickly that this was going to be right up my straße in comparison. A quietly confident crowd saw striped blazers and bombers with matching shorts, fusing the brand’s utilitarian aesthetic with a fun summer flavour.

YMC S/S 2014 by Natasha Likes Tea

These bold opening offerings were quickly followed by the brand’s unmistakable denims, tees and casual shirts. A quilted jacket was given a modern twist with a haphazard, swirling design in Chombray. Crisp, linen shirts featured oversized polka dots and revealed intricate, childlike patterns on the reverse. Sportswear complimented these subtle twists, from tapered joggers to sleeveless bomber designs with zip pockets. Floral shirts were worn effortlessly.

Oversized checks then made an appearance in subtle blues and greens. Basic white t-shirts with luscious marine-blue gradient hems made me yearn for a decent fucking summer.

A range of jackets closed the show: a blue overcoat with synched hood and sleeves, a play on the French utilitarian jacket and an oversized overcoat-cum-poncho with slits in the sides to expose arms.

Many a menswear designer could learn a thing or two from YMC‘s inimitable, laid-back blend of cool.

Written by Matt Bramford on Friday June 28th, 2013 9:55 am

Categories ,fashion, ,LCM, ,LCMSS14, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Natasha Likes Tea, ,Old Sorting Office, ,SS14, ,YMC

Amelia’s Magazine | Royal College of Art: Fashion Design Graduate Show 2011 review. Menswear Knitwear.

Hannah Taylor by Karolina Burdon.

I had to sit in the photographer’s pit – legs akimbo – to view the RCA graduate fashion show on Thursday 2nd June 2011… apparently there are no allocated seats. Hurumph, buy more about how often have we covered RCA shows on this website? On the bright side it meant that I had a fabulous view of the models as they walked towards me down the catwalk. Menswear fine tailoring and knitwear was particularly strong at this year’s show. Here’s introducing two fabulous knitwear designers to watch:

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Cherie Newing photography by Amelia Gregory
Cherie Newing. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Cherie Newing by Emma Durnell.

Cherie Newing showed brightly coloured repeat pattern jumpers that touched the ankle. Intarsia knit jumpers and garish printed tracksuits featured stop signs and abstract shapes.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Hannah Taylor photography by Amelia Gregory
Hannah Taylor‘s collection featured a whole host of influences, erectile from the Green Man to bank robbers, this web via the jungle: both urban and tropical. It was a super fun collection of cable knit shagpile wonder from someone not afraid to experiment with colour and shape.

The RCA is of course a fabled institution that has endowed the world with many fabulously well trained creatives, so I fail to understand why so many RCA graduates leave the college with zero web presence. Hannah Taylor, however, is one of the few who has multiple websites where you can catch up with her, including a website, a blog and a twitter feed. Hurrah!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday June 15th, 2011 10:22 am

Categories ,Brights, ,Cable knit, ,Emma Durnell, ,Graduate Fashion Show, ,Green Man, ,Hannah Taylor, ,Hanzipan, ,Intarsia, ,jungle, ,Karolina Burdon, ,knitwear, ,menswear, ,Patterns, ,rca, ,Royal College of Art, ,urban

Amelia’s Magazine | Royal College of Art: Fashion Design Graduate Show 2011 review. Menswear.

RCA Graduate Show 2011 Calum Harvey by Sam Parr
Calum Harvey by Sam Parr.

Fine tailoring appears to be an RCA speciality, find and several students had collaborated with high end Italian brand Brioni to produce a series of gorgeous tailored coats in shades of fawn, here dust, greyhound and sharp reds.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni photography by Amelia Gregory
RCA Brioni collaboration. Coat by Alexander Lamb. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Peter Bailey photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Peter Bailey.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Rebecca Neary photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Rebecca Neary.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Zac Marshall photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Zac Marshall.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Benedicte Holmboe photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Benedicte Holmboe.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni Zac Marshall photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Alex Mullins.

Over-sized round shoulders and trench coat styling was the order of the day, all worn with dark shades. Loved it all. Especially the ones above.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Aleksandra Domanevskaya photography by Amelia Gregory
Aleksandra Domanevskaya opted for a colourful collection based around stripey woven shantung silk in peach and caramel shades, also worn with moody sunglasses.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Sol Ahn photography by Amelia Gregory
Sol Ahn created a sports casual collection, with inspiration taken from baseball jackets, faded denim, school boy shorts and traditional duffel coats. I liked the way that big waist rope ties became integral features of the look.
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RCA graduate fashion 2011-Calum Harvey photography by Amelia Gregory
Calum Harvey‘s collection was a clear standout amongst a sea of great talent. Riffing on traditional shapes and fabrics he showed high belted tweed suits and long boxy coats in peachy shades, accessorised with wide shaggy collars and jaunty hats. I particularly liked the wide trousered grey tweed suit. Very stylish indeed. Check out Calum Harvey’s website here.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Josefine Jarzombek photography by Amelia Gregory
I wasn’t so keen on Josefine Jarzombek‘s collection, mainly because she did the fur sponsorship thing, but also because those orange leather gloves with the maroon silk shirt were a wee bit scary.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Bennet Loveday photography by Amelia Gregory
Bennet Loveday produced some wonderful print effects on the inside of long cardigan and kagoul-like lightweight coats. Loved the slouchy shapes and tie-waist detailing (again).

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Samuel Membery photo amelia gregory
Samuel Membery‘s collection combined tailoring with casual wear with varied success. I liked the marled grey knitwear. Catch him on his blog and website.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Emily Jane Murray photography by Amelia Gregory
Emily-Jane Murray‘s obsession with sandy coloured suede or suede type materials paid off in a very dapper collection. She has a website here.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Yejon Park photography by Amelia Gregory
Yejon Park launched his collection with an amazing tailored and zippered striped jacket, which was followed by some deconstructed tailoring and a fun bi-coloured jumpsuit.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Stefan Orschel-Read photography by Amelia Gregory
Stefan Orschel-Read has already been on my radar for some time as he is represented by Felicities PR and he’s also an old pro when it comes to catwalk shows. He showed an immaculately cut collection of sharp suits with intriguing detailing such as knitted shoulder cutouts and unusual collars. I loved the grey marl shorts suit.

Fah Chakshuvej by Sandra Contreras.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Fah Chakshuvej photography by Amelia Gregory
Fah Chakshuvej closed the menswear selection with a regal looking collection that included metallics, heavy embossing and laser cut detailing. High collars and horns completed the look. His website is FahChak.com and he has a twitter feed too.